Editor's Note: This is the ninth in an intermittent series by Repository writer Tim Botos looking into the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority, accused in a federal audit of improperly spending or failing to document more $10.5 million of its public-housing dollars.

The final audit — released in July — doesn't note the name of the architecture firm, John Patrick Picard Inc., or elaborate on the change order issue. Nor does it mention Picard earned $1.8 million in about a decade on SMHA work.

A Repository review of architecture and design contracts awarded by the Housing Authority since 2002 reveals Picard was paid more than all the other architects hired for SMHA jobs combined.

While Picard earned $1.8 million for his 16 projects, seven other firms pulled in $1.6 million for 50 projects.

"I'm the best," Picard said, pointing out that his specialty and passion is handicapped accessibility work, which fit in well with the SMHA projects. "There's an incredible amount ... of discrimination out there."

Clearly, some of Picard's paychecks were more because of the depth and breadth of the work he was hired to complete — everything from handicapped-accessibility work to renovating what's now the Metropolitan Centre. In comparison, some of the jobs awarded to other firms were for such work as fire damage renovations at SMHA-owned houses, which only paid $1,000 apiece.

Picard also had long-standing working and personal relationships with SMHA officials — some widely known and one that wasn't.

SHARED EMPLOYEE

Picard had worked as a development architect, a full-time employee of the Housing Authority from 1994 to 1997, where he earned a beginning salary of $32,000 a year.

His supervisor was SMHA development director Mike Williams, who became executive director of the agency in May 2009, according to personnel records.

"As an employee, I thought (Picard) did a really good job," longtime SMHA Board member Daniel Fonte said.

What wasn't widely known was that Williams' secretary, Norma Getto, simultaneously worked for Picard. Getto, who worked directly for Williams for many of the 31 years she was employed by SMHA, worked for Picard at the same time.

"To me that's more than a little odd, it's completely inappropriate," said Fonte when The Repository informed him of Getto's dual jobs. "That was something that should have been known, but we weren't made aware of it ... again. That sounds like a conflict of interest. But we didn't even know about it."

Getto died in 2011.

Attorney John Wirtz, who has served as SMHA outside legal counsel for more than 30 years, said he wasn't aware Getto worked for Picard. He said he couldn't comment on whether it was a conflict of interest.

Page 2 of 2 - The SMHA employee handbook contains at least two policies that address conflicts of interest and outside employment. They forbid employees from holding a financial interest in agency contracts and prohibit them from working for a second employer whose interests conflict with SMHA.

NEW ARCHITECT

The issue over the change orders involved a $10,000 contract for Picard to provide design work ensuring handicapped-accessibility at SMHA sites. SMHA officials then continued to add sites to the contract without going back to the board to approve new contracts. The final cost grew to $480,000. Typically, such contracts for architect and design services are either publicly bid or publicly solicited for proposals.

HUD, the primary source of funding for the housing authority, questioned the contract and change orders during its recent extensive review of SMHA operations.

"Again, we had no idea that was going on," Fonte said.

Picard said Getto was a close friend who did secretarial work for him on weekends only. When asked during a phone interview, he bristled at a suggestion that her simultaneous jobs may have been viewed as a conflict of interest. He declined to answer any more questions on the topic and hung up.

Former Housing Authority Directors Amanda Fletcher and Williams have repeatedly declined comment on stories about the agency.

Herman Hill, who replaced the retired Williams as executive director in February, recently selected a different architect to perform agency work. It was approved by the five-member SMHA board last month.

Picard was among the 13 architects who responded to solicitations and newspaper ads seeking qualified firms.

All 13 proposals were evaluated by SMHA employees who do not work in the development department. They and Hill selected R.E. Warner & Associates, of Westlake, for the role.